PMI

Philip Morris International: Why World No Tobacco Day Should Be World No Smoking Day

Philip Morris International (PMI) will mark World No Tobacco Day with a
call to recognize this day as “World No Smoking Day.” PMI is publishing
informational advertisements highlighting that people who smoke deserve
the opportunity to learn about smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes.

It is clear that despite the well-known health risks associated with
smoking, many people continue to smoke. The World Health Organization
(WHO) predicts that there will be more than 1 billion people who smoke
in 2025, about the same number as today. Their best choice would be to
quit—but many don’t. It makes sense that these men and women should have
access to and information about less-harmful alternatives to cigarettes.
Why would anyone deny them this opportunity? PMI is calling for an
additional, bold approach to public health.

“For people who will otherwise continue to smoke, WHO is in the perfect
position to drive switching from cigarettes to sensible alternatives. A
policy that informs people about those alternatives—in essence, a World
No Smoking Day—would reduce smoking prevalence to a far greater extent
and at a much faster rate than the existing suite of tobacco-control
measures alone,” said André Calantzopoulos, PMI's Chief Executive
Officer. “People who smoke deserve a sensible plan that takes full
account of better alternatives to cigarettes. For our part, we’re
determined to deliver a smoke-free future through innovations that stand
up to scientific scrutiny and that meet consumer needs.”

PMI has already committed $4.5bn in supporting a team of 400 world-class
scientists, engineers and technicians who have spent years creating and
testing a range of smoke-free products that offer a much better choice
for the millions of smokers who don’t quit. More than 5 million smokers
worldwide have already completely abandoned cigarette smoking and
switched to IQOS, PMI’s heated tobacco product, with 10,000 smokers
switching every single day. And PMI is not the only company pursuing
innovation as important to the world’s 1 billion smokers worldwide—the
tobacco industry generally is beginning to move in this direction, to
the benefit of men and women who smoke.

“Our short-term ambition is that one out of three of our consumers, 40
million men and women who smoke, will have switched to better
alternatives by 2025. Ultimately, we want to be in a position to stop
selling cigarettes entirely. However, we need the support of governments
and the public health community to make this happen in as short a time
as possible. I believe that instead of just designating one day as World
No Tobacco Day, we should promote every day as World No Smoking Day,”
said Calantzopoulos.

PMI is proposing that governments and authorities investigate thoroughly
how scientifically substantiated smoke-free products can be used as a
complementary public health strategy alongside smoking prevention and
cessation. With appropriate government control and oversight, these
products can have a meaningful and positive impact on public health.

We are a leading international tobacco company engaged in the
manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other nicotine-containing
products in markets outside the United States of America. We’re building
our future on smoke-free products that are a much better choice than
continuing to smoke cigarettes. Through multidisciplinary capabilities
in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific
substantiation, we aim to ensure that our smoke-free products meet adult
consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. Our vision is
that these products ultimately replace cigarettes to the benefit of
adult smokers, society, our company and our shareholders. For more
information, see our PMI
and PMIScience
websites.